Marvel gets the icon this week, as not one, but TWO, major franchises hit their 600th issue in the same week. They are, of course:
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #600: This one's got quite a bit of content, which is to be expected. A lot of it's good, which includes the long-awaited return of Doctor Octopus. Of course, Ock's been around a while and he's become...well...broken, for lack of a better word. So he's created more of a mental link with his metallic tentacles and uses them to try and take over New York! Afterwards, there's a wedding between Aunt May and J. Jonah Jameson Sr., because Joe Quesada doesn't hate marriages between senior citizens. Oh, and some redheaded lady comes back. Backup stories include a look at Uncle Ben, a look at Madame Web, and the Spider Mobile. This one's worth a buy for the total package, including the new-look Doc Ock. Thumbs way up!
INCREDIBLE HULK #600: I was enjoying the start of Jeph Loeb's "Hulk" run, just because it was ridiculously fun. Then his run just became ridiculous, especially during the most recent Offenders arc. But for a #600, I decided to get back on board. Issue sees She-Hulk, Doc Samson, Spider-Man, and Ben Urich teaming up to find out who the Red Hulk is, once and for all. Their plans take them to a secret AIM facility where New Abomination and Bruce Banner are being held. Red Hulk crashes the party, causing Banner to hulk out. But before you can say "Hulk Smash!", Red Hulk grabs Green Hulk and simply drains his power to turn him back into Banner. Wait, did he have that power this whole time?! Including during their huge fight six months ago? ARGH! The AIM facility explodes (of course) and everyone escapes. Story ends with Red Hulk threatening Ben Urich to stay out of his hair. Backup stories include a reprinting of the classic Hulk: Gray, a Savage She-Hulk story, and several pages compiling all 600 Hulk covers. The main story was awful, as I still have no interest in the ridiculously-overpowered (and for a comic book, that says A LOT) and dull-as-nails Red Hulk and everyone should already own Hulk: Gray in trade, anyway. This made me feel the opposite of Spidey's 600th issue. Thumbs down!
GREEN LANTERN #44: If you remember the ending of Blackest Night #1, Hal Jordan and Barry Allen are visited by Zombie Martian Manhunter. J'onn tries to do them a public service by making them dead...again. The battle is pretty entertaining, peaking with J'onn lifting up a fire station and quipping, "I'm as powerful as Superman. Why does everyone forget this?" Meanwhile, John Stewart sits lonesomely by the remains of Xanshi, until a black ring shows up. It first looked like the legions of dead from Xanshi would rise up, but further speculation by the comic community actually poses the much more likely scenario that the PLANET XANSHI ITSELF is rising up as the next Black Lantern, to counter the presence of Mogo. This sounds cool, except...Xanshi's not a sentient planet, which makes this an extremely faulty concept. While it's too early to jump to conclusions about Xanshi, the first part of Hal/Barry vs. Zombie J'onn is worth a buy in itself. Thumbs up!
BLACKEST NIGHT: TALES OF THE CORPS #2: This series of stories is much more entertaining than last week's. The origin of Bleez is incredibly chilling and makes the Red Lanterns that much more frightening. Carol Ferris's story does a good job in giving her more depth, especially for the newer readers. And the Blume story was a decent read, as watching him run afoul of Larfleeze was good for a quick laugh. Better than last week's issue, but nothing that's an essential read by any stretch. Thumbs in the middle, leaning up.
FINAL CRISIS: LEGION OF 3 WORLDS: Man, did delays ever kill this one. When we last left this series, the Time Trapper was revealed to be a future Superboy Prime. It's eventually revealed, though, that Trapper is only a possible future for Prime, as any damage the current Prime sustains will appear on the Trapper also. With that, Superman takes the Trapper out onto the battlefield and places him next to the current Superboy Prime. This meeting of the minds goes about as well as expected, as Prime punches his future self out of existence, which simultaneously punches himself...back to Earth-Prime, which was apparently resurrected in the second Crisis. Minor complaint: During said second Crisis, I thought Earth Prime was beyond revival, which is why Superboy Prime lost his marbles in the first place. It wouldn't bug me so much, but Geoff Johns wrote that story too! Anyway, Prime is happy to be home, except now everyone fears him, because they've been reading the comics like the rest of us. With the Trapper and Prime beaten, the Legion wins the day and Superman goes back to the present with Superboy and Kid Flash in tow. Issue ends with Superboy Prime getting his ultimate revenge, by enacting a plan that no superhero could ever stop...taking his rage onto the INTERNETS! I wonder if Marv Wolfman could have ever imagined this would be the character's final fate? As for the issue itself, it suffers from the same problem the rest of the series did, there were just too many characters to follow and way too much going on at once. It got chaotic, but this issue at least redeems itself somewhat with that twisted ending. So it's not a total loss. Thumbs in the middle.
GOTHAM CITY SIRENS #2: Those who've read Batman: Streets of Gotham know that Hush has escaped and he's still got Bruce Wayne's face. So when Harley rescues him from thugs, bad stuff naturally happens. I'd give more, but I got really bored with this one. Catwoman's convoluted "There's been legions of Batmen" explanation seemed so utterly lame that I could hardly bother with the rest of the issue. This was a major off-issue for Paul Dini. Thumbs down!
"So listen up boy, or pornography starring your mother will be the second worst thing that happens to you today."
I am thinking Loeb realizes how stupid this has gotten and he is going to string is on forever. I am thinking Betty is the Red Hulk since it makes the least amount of sense. As for Spiderman, call me when they actually get some coherent writing again and someone with balls to tell Quesada to screw off. I'm hoping to get GL today, so I skipped that part. Superboy Prime could have been a great main event villain like Brock instead he turned into Cena, now where they push down our throats and never loses.
I heard that Loeb planned to reveal the Red Hulk's identity early in the run, but once the book sold like hotcakes, they pushed it back. Hell, this book sells so well, they are now going with 2 Hulk titles. I am a huge Hulk fan, but that never works.
They should be careful in holding of on revealing Rulk's identity much longer, they don't want a repeat of the Hobgoblin story from the 80s.
"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."
Originally posted by kentishI heard that Loeb planned to reveal the Red Hulk's identity early in the run, but once the book sold like hotcakes, they pushed it back. Hell, this book sells so well, they are now going with 2 Hulk titles. I am a huge Hulk fan, but that never works.
They should be careful in holding of on revealing Rulk's identity much longer, they don't want a repeat of the Hobgoblin story from the 80s.
Now I won't be satisfied unless Rulk is Roderick Kingsley, Ned Leeds, or Ned the Pie Maker.
Picking from recent stuff that you will find most easily in your local bookstore: Hush Vols. 1 and 2 were sort of the biggest Batman story of the last few years.